The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (832 page)

established our laws–which have been too

mangled by Roman occupation; we shall mend them

and put them into practice, using our power, and this shall be

the good deed will be remembered for, however angry Rome gets.

Mulmutius made our laws, the first Briton to put

a crown on his head and call

himself king.

LUCIUS.

I am sorry, Cymbeline,

That I am to pronounce Augustus Caesar-

Caesar, that hath moe kings his servants than

Thyself domestic officers- thine enemy.

Receive it from me, then: war and confusion

In Caesar's name pronounce I 'gainst thee; look

For fury not to be resisted. Thus defied,

I thank thee for myself.

I am sorry, Cymbeline,

that I have to tell you that Augustus Caesar–

Caesar, who has more kings as his servants than

you have servants in your house–is your enemy.

Take it from me, then: I am declaring war

against you in Caesar's name; expect

a fury you cannot resist. Now I have defied you,

I give you my personal thanks.

CYMBELINE.

Thou art welcome, Caius.

Thy Caesar knighted me; my youth I spent

Much under him; of him I gather'd honour,

Which he to seek of me again, perforce,

Behoves me keep at utterance. I am perfect

That the Pannonians and Dalmatians for

Their liberties are now in arms, a precedent

Which not to read would show the Britons cold;

So Caesar shall not find them.

You are welcome, Caius.

Your Caesar knighted me; I spent much of my youth

in his service; he gave me honour,

which, if he now tries to take back from me,

will make me fight to the last ditch. I know

that the Hungarians and Dalmatians are now

fighting for their freedom, which is a precedent

that the Britons would be cowardly not to follow;

Caesar will not find us to be cowards.

LUCIUS.

Let proof speak.

We'll see what happens.

CLOTEN.

His majesty bids you welcome. Make pastime with us a

day or

two, or longer. If you seek us afterwards in other terms, you

shall find us in our salt-water girdle. If you beat us out of

it,

it is yours; if you fall in the adventure, our crows shall

fare

the better for you; and there's an end.

His Majesty welcomes you. Enjoy your stay with us for a day or

two, or longer. If you come back looking for us on other terms,

you will find us in our island in the sea. If you can drive us out of it

it's yours; if you fail in your attempt, our crows will be

fatter from you; and that's the end of it.

LUCIUS.

So, sir.

Very well, sir.

CYMBELINE.

I know your master's pleasure, and he mine;

All the remain is, welcome.

Exeunt

I know your master's position, and he knows mine;

all that is left to say is, welcome.

Enter PISANIO reading of a letter

PISANIO.

How? of adultery? Wherefore write you not

What monsters her accuse? Leonatus!

O master, what a strange infection

Is fall'n into thy ear! What false Italian-

As poisonous-tongu'd as handed- hath prevail'd

On thy too ready hearing? Disloyal? No.

She's punish'd for her truth, and undergoes,

More goddess-like than wife-like, such assaults

As would take in some virtue. O my master!

Thy mind to her is now as low as were

Thy fortunes. How? that I should murder her?

Upon the love, and truth, and vows, which I

Have made to thy command? I, her? Her blood?

If it be so to do good service, never

Let me be counted serviceable. How look I

That I should seem to lack humanity

So much as this fact comes to? [Reads] 'Do't. The letter

That I have sent her, by her own command

Shall give thee opportunity.' O damn'd paper,

Black as the ink that's on thee! Senseless bauble,

Art thou a fedary for this act, and look'st

So virgin-like without? Lo, here she comes.

Enter IMOGEN

I am ignorant in what I am commanded.

What? Of adultery? Why don't you write

what monsters accuse her? Leonatus!

O master, what horrible poison

has dropped into your ear! What false Italian–

with as much poison on his tongue as on his hands–has won

over your far too gullible mind? Disloyal? No.

She is punished for her loyalty, and endures,

more like a goddess than a wife, assaults

that would overcome most virtue. Oh my master!

This way of thinking about how makes your mind

as low asyour fortune. What? You want me to murder her?

You're claiming the love, truth and vows, which I

have committed to you? Me and her? Her blood?

If this is what happens when you do good service

let me never be thought of as a good servant.

What is there in my looks that makes me seem so inhuman

that I would do this? [Reads] ‘Do it. The letter

that I have sent her means that she will

provide the opportunity herself.’ You damned letter,

as black as the ink that's on you! You worthless idiot,

or are you going to be an accomplice in this act, and keep looking

so innocent? Look, here she comes.

I must pretend I know nothing about these commands.

IMOGEN.

How now, Pisanio!

Hello there, Pisanio!

PISANIO.

Madam, here is a letter from my lord.

Madam, here's a letter from my lord.

IMOGEN.

Who? thy lord? That is my lord- Leonatus?

O, learn'd indeed were that astronomer

That knew the stars as I his characters-

He'd lay the future open. You good gods,

Let what is here contain'd relish of love,

Of my lord's health, of his content; yet not

That we two are asunder- let that grieve him!

Some griefs are med'cinable; that is one of them,

For it doth physic love- of his content,

All but in that. Good wax, thy leave. Blest be

You bees that make these locks of counsel! Lovers

And men in dangerous bonds pray not alike;

Though forfeiters you cast in prison, yet

You clasp young Cupid's tables. Good news, gods!

[Reads]

'Justice and your father's wrath, should he take me in his

dominion, could not be so cruel to me as you, O the dearest

of

creatures, would even renew me with your eyes. Take notice

that I

am in Cambria, at Milford Haven. What your own love will out

of

this advise you, follow. So he wishes you all happiness that

remains loyal to his vow, and your increasing in love

LEONATUS POSTHUMUS.'

O for a horse with wings! Hear'st thou, Pisanio?

He is at Milford Haven. Read, and tell me

How far 'tis thither. If one of mean affairs

May plod it in a week, why may not I

Glide thither in a day? Then, true Pisanio-

Who long'st like me to see thy lord, who long'st-

O, let me 'bate!- but not like me, yet long'st,

But in a fainter kind- O, not like me,

For mine's beyond beyond!-say, and speak thick-

Love's counsellor should fill the bores of hearing

To th' smothering of the sense- how far it is

To this same blessed Milford. And by th' way

Tell me how Wales was made so happy as

T' inherit such a haven. But first of all,

How we may steal from hence; and for the gap

That we shall make in time from our hence-going

And our return, to excuse. But first, how get hence.

Why should excuse be born or ere begot?

We'll talk of that hereafter. Prithee speak,

How many score of miles may we well ride

'Twixt hour and hour?

Who? Your lord? The one who is my lord–Leonatus?

It would be a very clever astronomer

who could read the stars as well as I read his letters–

he'd predict the whole future. You good gods,

let the contents of this be full of love and tell

me that my lord is healthy and happy; though not

happy that we are apart–let that grieve him!

Some griefs are curable; that is one of them,

love is its medicine: let him be happy,

in everything but that.Good wax, let me break you.May the bees

which make these seals the be blessed! Lovers

and men threatened by legal documents don't pray for the same thing;

although when they break the seal they get thrown in prison,

you still hold the writings of Cupid. Good news, please gods!

[Reads]

‘The law and your father's anger, if he should catch me in his

kingdom, is nothing compared to how you, O dearest

of creatures, can lift me up with a look. Be informed that I

am in Wales, at Milford Haven. Whatever your love inspires

you to do, do that. So the one who remains loyal to his vow

wishes you all happiness, and assures you his love gets greater every day,

Leonatus Posthumus.’

Oh, I wish I had a winged horse! Did you hear, Pisanio?

He is at Milford Haven. Read this, and tell me

how far away it is. If a lowly person

can plod there in a week, why shouldn't I

fly there in a day? Then, true Pisanio–

who's longing to see your lord just like me, who longs–

O, let me change that!–Not like me,

for nobody could want to see him as much as me!–Tell me, and speak thick words–

for the words of love should fill the holes of hearing

and cover up the senses–how far it is

to this same blessed Milford. And by the way,

tell me how Wales was so lucky as

to have such a haven. But first of all,

tell me how we can escape from here; and

what excuse we shall use to cover up the gap in time between

outgoing and return. But first, tell me how to get there.

Why should we give an excuse before we've even done the deed?